But strikes were expected at several of the 11 agencies still without contracts as of 9 p.m. Monday. Negotiators were meeting into the night at the state Department of Labor offices in Wethersfield.

Jerome Brown, president of New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199, announced the tentative agreements -- which cover about 500 workers -- in the labor department's lobby.

Brown said the proposed contracts include significant wage increases and no givebacks for the workers, who staff group homes and in most cases have been working without contracts since July 1.

In most cases, the union and the agencies agreed to a 30-day coolingoff period requested by Gov. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. in early July. That period ran out almost two weeks ago.

Workers have been on strike at the Oak Hill School since July 8. After school management would not agree to the terms of the proposed coolingoff period, the state labor department deemed the strike a lockout, making strikers eligible for unemployment payments.

The agencies have said they need givebacks because of reduced state funding this fiscal year, but a pledge by Weicker to provide more money in the next two fiscal years seems to have helped break several deadlocks.

That pledge amounts to an extra 5 percent for the agencies in each of the next two years, plus a separate fund to help raise the wages of the lowest-paid workers.

Brown reported no new talks at Oak Hill School, but he said Monday's agreements should push more employers to come to terms with the union.

"These settlements will serve as a pattern for all of the other

outstanding contracts, including the Oak Hill School," Brown said.

Ronald Cretaro, executive director of the Connecticut Association of Residential Facilities, said the agencies still face immediate financial troubles, despite Weicker's promise of more money.

"This is slow progress, but I would not become euphoric yet," Cretaro said. "Our agencies are still in fairly dire financial straits. To put more dollars on the table for this year, they are going to have to find a way to perform some kind of magic."

Brown said the union agreed to forgo raises this year at several of the agencies where workers receive higher average wages than at others. Several agencies -- including Bethpage Lutheran Services and Network Inc. -- agreed to wage enhancements this year for lower-paid workers.

In general, workers would receive increases of between 9 1/2 percent and 10 percent over the two-year, nine-month contracts. The agreements require rank-and-file approval before taking effect.

The union sought -- and received -- an April 1, 1995, contract deadline with most of the agencies. That means the contracts are expected to run out again before the end of that year's General Assembly session. Any promise of extra funding from the governor would have to be approved by the legislature.

Still, Brown said further strikes can be avoided this year.

"These settlements show conclusively that if the remaining employers negotiate with us in good faith, we can quickly reach equitable settlements without concessions, and avoid needless disruptions in services," Brown said.

But Cretaro said several of the agencies cannot afford to give up their demand for givebacks this year because of increases in the costs of workers' compensation insurance, health benefits and unemployment taxes.

Agency managers and state agencies -- including the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Mental Retardation -- were readying for the possibility of strikes today.

"DMR managers are fully prepared to monitor all the affected agencies," said Beth Northrop, executive assistant to the commisisoner of mental retardation. "However, we remain hopeful that agencies will reach agreement as discussions continue.